JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Mental disorders are complex diseases that affect about 28% (about 17.8 million people) of the adult population in Germany annually. Since 2020, certain mobile health apps, so-called digital health applications (DiGA), are reimbursable under certain conditions as low-risk medical devices in the German statutory health insurance system. Currently, half of the DiGA are approved for treatment of mental and behavioral diseases. However, the rather hesitant prescribing behavior is an indicator for existing problems that inhibit the use of DiGA.

Objective:

The aim of this project, which is funded by the Innovation Fund of the Joint Federal Committee (grant number 01VSF22029), is to develop health policy recommendations for the optimal integration of DiGA into outpatient psychotherapeutic care. The current status quo of the use of DiGA will be surveyed and concepts for the integration of mobile health applications (mHealth apps) as well as their transfer into the care process will be investigated. In addition, barriers will be identified and existing expectations of different perspectives captured.

Methods:

The project will be based on a mixed methods approach. As a basis, a scoping review and a qualitative analysis of focus groups and expert interviews will be carried out. Additionally, an analysis of claims data of the statutory health insurance will be conducted. This will be followed by a written survey of insured persons and health care providers. Finally, health policy recommendations will be derived in cooperation with stakeholders.

Results:

As a result, recommendations will describe organizational, institutional, and procedural aspects from different perspectives that need to be fulfilled so that DiGA can optimally support the care process for mental disorders and fully unfold their effectiveness. A basis will be laid in the first project stage by conducting a scoping review, focus groups, expert interviews, and an analysis of claims data of the statutory health insurance. All results will be compiled in a decision matrix. This will be supplemented with the results of a quantitative survey of patients and health care providers and finally, used to derive health policy recommendations. These will be finalized at the end of the project in October 2025.

Conclusions:

Since the potential of DiGA in mental health care has not yet fully unfolded, there is a need for research on how DiGA can be optimally integrated into the care process of patients with mental disorders. This project aims to explore this topic and to describe organizational, institutional, and procedural steps necessary for DiGA to best support mental health care.